Why do we LOVE Fireworks?
People LOVE fireworks, so much so that they have been influential in pop-culture, the arts, and even music. So why do we love fireworks so much? Well, we’ve got a few ideas!
A firework show in itself is art. It’s a mesmerizing dance between music and explosives; we like to call it the art of pyrotechnics. If you don’t believe us, see it for yourself at GlobalFest! Fireworks have been inspirational to many artists – from those who create captivating photography to ones who elegantly paint with explosives, fireworks have it all! Cai Guo-Qiang, an artist based out of New York is famous for his vast array of firework displays and gunpowder paintings. His works literally transcends. Cai Guo-Qiang’s Sky Ladder is a 1650 foot ladder of fireworks in the sky. Alwin Lay’s Permanent Sparkler is a sparkler that never burns out with her clever use of photography as an eternal match!
Cinematography
In film, fireworks tend to be synonymous with epic feelings of love, patriotism, and triumph! And boy, are they EPIC! The romance and elegance in Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch A Thief shows that when sparks fly, so do the fireworks. Then you have classically epic scenes such as V for Vendetta when Natalie Portman and Stephen Rae watch the Parliament implode with fireworks, it’s spectacular. Fireworks have even been fantastically imaginative like in Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring, where fireworks become brilliant dragons that fly over the Shire. Pretty epic if we do say! They are even sometimes fantastically weird like in An American Tail when fireworks shoot out of the Giant Mouse of Minsk, creepy and bizarre but strangely satisfying!
Fireworks are even inspiration in music! Starland Vocal Band’s Afternoon Delight is a 70’s classic riddled with fireworks and innuendos. Skyrockets in flight, afternoon delight? They’re singing about fireworks, obviously. Drake’s Fireworks reflect on his climb to fame symbolizing fireworks as his rapid success. And how could we forget about Katy Perry’s infamous song Firework where her use of fireworks is symbolic of igniting our unwritten potential.
Fireworks have changed tremendously since their inception over 2000 years ago. From the integration of colour, aerials, and computer integration they have come a long way. We celebrate national holidays, matrimonies and days of birth with fireworks. We display them at spectacular festivals like GlobalFest and festivals like it all over the world. They have been there to ward off evil spirits and to inspire us in art, music and cinema. That is why we LOVE fireworks so much because they ignite the thrill and joy in us. Fireworks have come so far but we can’t wait to see what’s next, can you?
